Since 2022, @financejourney.my has been documenting his path toward financial independence and openly sharing his net worth growth, monthly savings breakdowns, and reflections on mindset and discipline. As a strategy consultant balancing a demanding career with ambitious personal goals, he’s on a mission to reach RM1 million net worth by 30 with balance and intention.
In this interview, we explore his journey from that first net worth update to his evolving investment strategy, career growth, and what financial freedom truly means to him.
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1. Hi! For readers who may not know you yet, could you briefly introduce yourself, and share what first inspired you to start tracking your net worth back in 2022? And why did you decide to document the journey publicly?
Hi all, my account name is financejourney.my where I share my finance journey anonymously publicly.
I started tracking my net worth back in 2022 when I realised I had no real idea where my money was going.
I was working hard, saving here and there, but there wasn’t a clear picture of whether I was actually moving forward financially.
Once I started tracking it properly, it kind of provided me more motivation, seeing the numbers change each month gave me a sense of progress and control.
Sharing it publicly keeps me accountable, and I also wanted to show that building wealth doesn’t have to be hard, so creating this account allows me to share the tips and tricks I have learnt with everyone.
2. As a strategy consultant, how has your career progression and salary growth influenced your financial journey? And do you see your career as the main driver toward your RM1M goal, or just one piece of the puzzle?
Honestly, my career has been a huge factor.
Consulting pays well and the progression can be pretty fast and clear if you can survive the grind.
I think career should be the main driver toward the first 1 to 2 million, but after that I would love to move into something less intense and focus more on making my wealth work for me.
3. You’ve set yourself a bold goal of hitting RM1 million net worth by 30. How has that shaped your saving and investing habits so far?
Setting that RM1 million goal has definitely pushed me to be more intentional with money. I plan my savings, track my investments, and returns. But looking back, it can be a bit of a double-edged sword.
When you are so focused on hitting a number, it is easy to forget that money’s meant to serve your life, not the other way around.
These days I constantly remind myself to enjoy the journey too, to spend on experiences, celebrate small wins, and not just delay spending until I hit the goal.
It is all about balance.
You save and invest with discipline, but you also make space to live well and make memories along the way.
4. Along the way, what’s been the biggest challenge, whether financial or mindset? And what lessons did it teach you?
The biggest challenge has been managing the balance between ambition and contentment.
When you start tracking your net worth, it is easy to get caught up in the numbers and always want more.
Over time, you learn that there is no shortcut to wealth. You cannot get rich fast as you will throw it away chasing the next big thing like a pyramid scheme or some high-risk leveraged crypto bet.
Slow, consistent growth is boring, but it works.
Building wealth is a patience game.
You have to stay grounded, stay disciplined, and not let greed or FOMO mess up the progress you made.
5. Your portfolio includes ASM, ETFs, Fixed Deposits, crypto, EPF and more! How do you decide on your allocations, and what’s your thought process when markets feel uncertain?
I try to keep my portfolio simple and things that I can automate.
Most of my allocation goes into things I understand and can sleep well holding — EPF, ASM, ETFs, and fixed deposits. Those form my core investments.
Then I take smaller positions in higher-risk stuff like crypto, mainly for higher upside, but never more than I can afford to lose.
When markets get uncertain, I remind myself that volatility is normal. Fundamentals do not change in my core investments, so I stay invested.
Time in the market beats timing the market — I focus on DCA-ing every month, rebalancing when needed, and not overreacting to short-term noise.
6. Which apps, platforms, or brokers do you rely on most for managing your money and investments? And what makes them work well for your strategy?
“KWSP” for EPF, “myASNB” for ASM, “IBKR”/Interactive Brokers for ETFs, Various Bank Apps for FD (I put a calendar reminder for maturity date), Luno/Selected Brokers for Crypto, Delta for a consolidated view across assets, though it’s still a manual process.
For tracking, I am a big fan of simple excel. It keeps you aware of where your money is going. I have tried fancy apps before, but I always end up coming back to Excel cause it is easier to edit what the format you need.
What makes it work is consistency. I check in once a month during payday weekend, and update everything.
7. You often highlight credit cards in your updates. What’s your current card strategy, and which ones do you find most valuable right now?
My credit card strategy is mainly around points rather than cashback. Points usually give you better value, especially when you redeem them for flights.
There is no right strategy, as you should structure your cards around your main spending buckets (e.g. overseas spending, dining, travel, and online shopping), and select the card that gives you the best return for each ringgit spent.
I also like to view credit cards as a reward system for myself (points) rather than another income stream (cash flow).
But I am also very clear about one thing: you should never spend more just because it’s on a credit card. The points only make sense if you were going to spend that money anyway.
8. What daily habits or systems help you stay consistent on your financial journey, even during times when motivation runs low?
Honestly, it is not about motivation, it is all about systems and discipline.
I am not the most structured person when it comes to tracking every single expense, so I keep it simple. I have a savings account and a spending account.
Each month, I transfer around RM5,000 to the spending account and that is my spending budget for the month. If nothing is left in my account, I do not spend more. If I have extra, I can treat myself a little.
I also automate as much as possible, savings, investments, bills. When you remove the day-to-day decisions, staying consistent becomes way easier.
It is really about setting up your system and letting it run for you.
9. If you don’t quite hit your RM700k year-end target, how do you plan to reframe that and stay on track toward your RM1M goal?
It’s okay if I don’t hit the RM700k year-end target. Life rarely goes exactly as planned, and that is part of the journey.
I also have to constantly remind myself that pushing too hard or chasing FOMO can make you take unnecessary risks and lose money, which sets you back more than missing a goal ever would.
The key is to focus on progress, not perfection. Every step forward, even if smaller than expected, brings me closer to financial freedom
10. Beyond the numbers, what does financial freedom mean to you? And what kind of lifestyle or passion projects do you hope to pursue once “work becomes optional”?
Financial freedom isn’t about the money you have, it is about the life you get to live.
Financial freedom means having control over my time and choices and being able to spend my time on things that actually matter to me.
I would love to travel more and spend time with the people I care about. I don’t see myself completely stopping work, but I want to experiment with side passion projects that excite me, not just the ones that pay the bills.
11. Finally, what advice would you give to Malaysians in their 20s who are just starting their financial journey and may feel behind or overwhelmed?
The best time to invest was yesterday. The second best time is today.
I would tell anyone in their 20s not to panic if they feel behind, most people don’t have it all figured out.
Start small, be consistent, and focus on building good habits.
Automate your savings, track your progress, and don’t chase quick wins.
Final Thoughts
A huge thank you to @financejourney.my for sharing his story of balancing a demanding consulting career while steadily building toward financial independence. His journey shows that wealth isn’t built overnight, but through systems, patience, and a clear sense of purpose.
Here are three takeaways we loved from this interview:
- Track your progress, not perfection. Numbers are feedback, not pressure.
- Let systems, not motivation, drive consistency. Automate and stay the course.
- Enjoy the process. Financial goals matter, but so does the life you’re building along the way.
You can follow his journey toward RM1 million by 30 on Instagram @financejourney.my for monthly updates, investing insights, and grounded reflections on money and mindset.
